The present invention relates generally to fluid treatment systems such as water treatment systems including water softeners, and more particularly to a grey water treatment system designed for use with a water softener.
Grey water refers to wastewater generated from residential or commercial sanitation equipment and includes used dishwashing water, laundry water and bath water. Toilet water is not part of grey water and instead is categorized as “black water.” Black water is wastewater that has high levels of contaminants and/or particulates and requires significant water treatment. Fresh water or “white water” is potable water that is typically used for drinking, cooking and irrigation. About 50-80% of residential wastewater is grey water.
Fresh water is quickly becoming a scarce resource. Several areas around the world have limited fresh water supplies due to expanding populations, drought and pollution. As a result, it is becoming very difficult and expensive to obtain fresh water in many parts of the world.
Moreover, in the eastern and mid-western regions of the United States there is significant concern over aging municipal water treatment infrastructure. Individual household and satellite grey water treatment systems can reduce the pressure on demand from these aging infrastructures and also provide cost savings to municipalities and the end user. Further, transportation and treatment costs could be significantly reduced if the treatment and reduction of wastewater is performed at the point of use (residential or commercial site) instead of at a satellite site. Hence, the significant cost savings associated with onsite wastewater treatment benefits municipal water treatment facilities.
According to an AWWA 1999 research study, 58% of the total household water is used outdoors, such as for irrigation and recreational use (i.e., swimming pools) and 42% is used indoors. Daily indoor water usage is approximately 69.3 gallons per person per day and 26.7% of that daily usage results from toilet flushing. Hence, a grey water treatment system will allow a consumer to save approximately 26.7% of indoor water use. Furthermore, recycling shower water for use in toilets will reduce the amount of wastewater that is treated at municipal water treatment plants.
Currently, there are very few grey water treatment systems in households and commercial buildings. The existing systems are very basic and do not meet the Environmental Protection Agency's turbidity and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) standards. Most of these systems also require existing plumbing systems to be re-configured or retrofitted, which is cost prohibitive. Existing systems are also not automated and therefore require significant control and involvement by a user.